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Bartender Charged After Woman Fatally Falls Down Stairs
4 Oct
Summary
- A bartender faces charges after a woman's fatal fall down stairs.
- The victim was celebrating her birthday with a long-time friend.
- The incident occurred at Coot's Bar & Grill on Edisto Island.
A celebratory birthday trip for two best friends ended in tragedy at Coot's Bar & Grill on Edisto Island. Joyce Tomlinson, 62, a Minnesota resident, died on October 24, 2025, after allegedly being pushed down a flight of stairs by bartender Mary Lopez Hunt, 68.
The incident occurred on October 3, 2025, around 11 p.m. Tomlinson's friend, Ruth Peterson, recounted that Tomlinson was going to settle their tab when she was reportedly shoved by Hunt, causing her to fall headfirst onto a concrete slab.
Hunt, who has been charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, claims Tomlinson was belligerent and fell. Tomlinson, described as a "meek and mild" woman, had been friends with Peterson for 50 years, and they were finally celebrating their 60th birthdays together.
Hunt was initially released on $100,000 bond for each charge but was later taken back into custody. The circumstances surrounding the revocation of her bond are not immediately clear. Tomlinson was remembered by her loved ones as a "loving mom" and "trustworthy friend."
